What we've learned from 30 years of marketing
How has marketing changed since the 1990's and what can we learn from it?
Over the past 30 years marketing has undergone a profound transformation, driven by rapid technological advancements, changing consumer behaviour, and the globalisation of markets.
What was once a predominantly one-way communication channel focused on print, television, and radio advertising has become a dynamic, data-driven, multi-platform ecosystem. From the rise of the internet and social media to the current era of artificial intelligence (AI) and influencer marketing, marketing today looks very different from that of the 1990's.
Lessons from 30+ years of marketing. Find out:
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- The key marketing trends from the 1990's to the present day:
- 1990's - pre-internet era and the groundwork for the digital marketing landscape
- Late 1990's to mid 2000's - emergence of digital marketing and the dot-com boom
- Mid 2000's - 2010's - the social media revolution
- 2010's - 2020's - the mobile revolution and data-driven marketing
- 2020's - The age of AI, automation, and ethical marketing
- The 5 enduring principles of successful marketing
- How succesful, enduring brands have applied those principles
Key marketing trends from the 1990's to the present day
1. The pre-internet era: The dominance of traditional marketing (1990's)
Marketing in the early 1990's
Marketing was ruled by traditional media - print, television, and radio. Big brands with weighty advertising budgets dominated print and broadcast media often running expensive campaigns that reached broad audiences. The focus was largely on mass marketing, pushing a single message to as many people as possible. Key characteristics of marketing in the early 1990's were:
- Broadcast media - particularly television ads - were the primary avenue for reaching large audiences. In 1990, TV was still king, and companies spent millions on prime-time commercials.
- Driving brand loyalty by creating memorable campaigns (iconic slogans or jingles) that would embed themselves in the minds of consumers.
- A retail focus. Marketing was heavily dependent on retail stores. Point-of-sale materials, in-store promotions, and packaging played a key role in shaping consumer choices.
- Limited, slow and indirect consumer feedback which largely relied on customer surveys, focus groups, and sales data, making it difficult for marketers to quickly adjust their strategies.
Marketing in the late 1990's
The second half of the 1990’s brought technological advancements and shifts in media consumption that impacted on consumer behaviour.
The first online banner ad appeared in 1994. E-commerce platforms like Amazon (1994) and eBay (1995) started to emerge. Google was launched in 1998, and the mobile phone began to take hold with the first steps in mobile marketing being taken.
These and other initiatives laid the groundwork for the digital marketing landscape we know today and set the stage for the explosion of internet-based marketing and the integration of new technologies into marketing strategies:
- The rise of the internet. Businesses began creating websites to establish an online presence. Early Search Engines started to play a crucial role in how information was found, leading to the birth of search engine marketing (SEM) and search engine optimization (SEO).
- The emergence of digital advertising. Banner ads marked the beginning of online advertising, and with the advent of search engines, Pay Per Click advertising emerged.
- Email marketing emerged as a powerful tool to reach consumers directly with newsletters, promotions, and personalised content.
- The growth of e-commerce revolutionised retail, emphasising the importance of having an online presence and digital marketing strategies. The late 1990's saw the birth of online shopping.
- Integrated marketing communications. Companies coordinated their marketing efforts across different channels to ensure a consistent brand message (recognising the value of brand equity).
- The beginnings of mobile marketing with SMS campaigns and the introduction of the first mobile ads.
- Advances in data analytics
- The development of CRM systems such as Salesforce enabled businesses to manage customer data more effectively and personalise marketing efforts.
- Businesses had the ability to collect and analyse large amounts of data to better understand customer behaviour and preferences, leading to more targeted and effective campaigns.
2. The emergence of digital marketing and the dot-com boom (late 1990's - mid 2000's)
Increasing use of the internet changed consumer behaviour radically shifting how brands communicated with consumers. As growth of the internet continued marketing started to evolve from traditional media to online platforms:
- Websites grew into interactive spaces where consumers could engage with brands, gather information, and even make purchases.
- Digital marketing gathered momentum
- With the rise of Search Engines and the later dominance of Google, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising became a cornerstone of digital marketing.
- Web analytics - tools like Google Analytics, launched in 2005 - enabled marketers to track and analyse web traffic, enhancing the ability to measure campaign effectiveness.
- Further advances in data analytics where the collection and analysis of large volumes of data allowed for more precise targeting and personalisation in marketing campaigns.
- The evolution of email marketing at scale. Email marketing became more widespread and more sophisticated with automation tools that allowed for personalised, triggered, and segmented email campaigns.
- The expansion of e-commerce with platforms like Amazon expanding their offerings and becoming major retail giants. Online shopping became a norm. Retailers started using data analytics to personalise shopping experiences, recommend products, and target specific customer segments.
- Increasing adoption of integrated marketing communications with cross channel strategies - including digital, print, and broadcast media - being used to reach out to and engage with consumers. Maintaining brand cohesion across all touchpoints became critical, with a focus on delivering a unified brand experience.
- Advances in mobile marketing. As smartphones developed, they started to transform mobile marketing with apps, mobile websites and SMS becoming essential marketing tools. Technologies like GPS began to enable location-based marketing.
- The beginnings of the social media revolution. The launch, and growth of platforms like LinkedIn (2003), myspace (2003), Facebook (2004) and YouTube (2005) started to revolutionise how brands interacted with consumers.
3. The social media revolution (mid 2000's - 2010's)
Digital marketing, particularly SEO and Pay Per Click advertising, continued to grow taking an increasing share of marketing budgets.
But as social media platforms continued to emerge there was a shift in the way brands interacted with consumers. Social media created a two-way conversation that was previously unimaginable:
- Marketers found new ways to engage with their audiences with the rise of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube and later Instagram. Social media allowed brands to establish an ongoing dialogue with consumers, creating brand communities and fostering deeper engagement.
- Social media also changed how brands thought about content. Instead of focusing solely on direct sales, companies began to invest in storytelling, value-driven content, and thought leadership. Content marketing aimed to engage and educate consumers, rather than simply sell to them.
- Viral marketing. The potential to create viral content introduced new opportunities and challenges, as brands aimed for authenticity and engagement on an emotional level.
- The rise of social media influencers with brands beginning to partner with influencers to promote products in a more authentic, relatable way. This marked a shift from celebrity endorsements to more personalised, niche-driven endorsements.
4. The mobile revolution and data-driven marketing (2010's – 2020's)
As smartphone usage became more widespread marketing strategies shifted. Mobile technology brought new levels of personalisation, and brands could now reach consumers pretty much anywhere at any time. The rise of big data and AI began to transform how marketers made decisions and measured success.
Key aspects of the mobile and data-driven era:
- Mobile-first marketing: With mobile devices surpassing desktop usage, businesses and marketers began to optimise their websites and marketing campaigns for mobile devices. Mobile-friendly designs and mobile-first indexing by Google became critical.
Brands started leveraging mobile apps and push notifications to engage with users in real-time.
- The rise and rise of social media and content marketing.
- Widespread use of smartphones aided the exponential growth of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn - and newcomers like Snapchat and TikTok - which became central to marketing strategies.
- Paid social media advertising became more sophisticated, allowing for highly targeted and personalised ads based on user data.
- Video marketing surged in popularity with platforms like YouTube, Facebook Live, and Instagram Stories providing new avenues for engaging content.
- The rise of influencers, particularly on Instagram and YouTube, led to influencer marketing becoming mainstream.
- Data-driven marketing and personalisation: The explosion of big data and advanced analytics allowed marketers to deliver hyper-targeted messages based on consumer behaviour, interests, and demographics. Personalised emails, product recommendations, and retargeting ads became powerful tools for driving conversions.
- Data analytics and marketing attribution (Performance Marketing): Digital platforms provided marketers with unprecedented access to data and analytics. From social media engagement metrics to Google Analytics, the ability to measure every interaction led to a more accountable and efficient approach to marketing. Marketers could now track the customer journey, adjust campaigns in real time, and better understand ROI.
- Data regulations, privacy and security. The growth in big data and data analytics led to the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the U.S. Both imposed strict data privacy regulations, affecting how companies collected and used consumer data.
Protecting consumer information became essential for maintaining trust and compliance so there was an increased focus on data security.
- Automation and AI gained traction. Tools like HubSpot, Marketo, and Mailchimp allowed for automated email campaigns, lead nurturing, and customer segmentation. AI-driven tools and chatbots improved customer service, personalised recommendations, and predictive analytics.
- The SEO landscape changed with Google’s frequent algorithm updates shifting the focus toward high-quality content, user experience, and mobile optimisation and with the increasing usage of voice search.
- E-commerce and online marketplaces continued to expand, with platforms like Amazon, Alibaba, and Shopify leading the way. The convenience and variety offered by online shopping became a significant draw for consumers. Subscription services and recurring delivery models became popular, changing the way products were marketed and sold.
- Emerging new technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) began to be used in marketing to create immersive experiences like virtual try-ons for fashion and home decor.
- The growth of streaming and podcasting. Platforms like Netflix and later Disney+ and Apple TV+ changed how content was consumed, leading to new advertising opportunities and content marketing strategies.
Podcasts grew in popularity, providing a new medium for content marketing and advertising.
Additionally, particularly in the late 2010’s, there were shifts towards:
- Purpose-driven marketing with brands taking a stand on social and environmental issues
- Brands demonstrating greater transparency and authenticity to build trust with consumers
- Omnichannel marketing strategies to deliver a seamless customer experience across various touchpoints, including online, in-store, and mobile.
5. The age of AI, automation, and ethical marketing (2020's)
In the 2020's, AI and automation play increasingly significant roles in marketing and consumers become more concerned with brand ethics, sustainability, and social responsibility than ever before.
Use of AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) becomes more commonplace for immersive shopping experiences, virtual try-ons, and interactive brand experiences. Increasing use of smart speakers and virtual assistants leads to a focus on optimising for voice search.
In the 2020’s:
- Digital transformation was accelerated by the pandemic
- The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to online shopping, leading to significant investments in e-commerce platforms and digital storefronts.
- With in-person events limited, virtual events, webinars, and online conferences became critical marketing tools.
- Social media and social commerce evolved
- TikTok's explosive growth popularised short-form video content, influencing other platforms like Instagram (Reels) and YouTube (Shorts) to adopt similar formats.
- The integration of shopping features directly into social media platforms (e.g. Instagram Shopping, Facebook Shops) streamlined the path from discovery to purchase.
- Customers get a more personalised experience. Increased use of AI and machine learning gave room for hyper-personalised marketing, predictive analytics, and improved customer service.
The growth of Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) helped unify customer data from different sources, enabling more cohesive and personalised marketing efforts.
- More changes to privacy and data security. GDPR, CCPA, and new regulations (e.g. Brazil's LGPD) continues to impact on how companies collect, store, and use consumer data.
With major browsers phasing out third-party cookies, marketers are shifting towards first-party data strategies and exploring alternatives like contextual advertising.
- From the mid 2020’s AI, GenAI and AI search agents start to pick up momentum
- AI being used to predict consumer behaviour and optimise marketing strategies in real-time
- Brands starting to shift from SEO to AIO (AI Optimisation)
- Influencer marketing and content marketing become increasingly important
- Increasing use of influencer marketing with more reliance on micro influencers who offer highly engaged niche audiences
- User-generated content and genuine storytelling used to build trust with consumers
- Ethical marketing and inclusivity play a much bigger role. There’s more emphasis on inclusive marketing practices that reflect diversity and promote equity, as well as a focus on ethical considerations in marketing practices, such as transparent advertising and responsible use of AI.
- Brands strive for seamless cross-channel customer experiences particularly across digital and physical touchpoints. ‘Phygital’ experiences, where physical and digital experience are blended to enhance customer engagement (e.g. click-and-collect, virtual fitting rooms), grew rapidly.
- The rise of the subscription economy and Direct To Consumer (DTC) brands.
- Subscription-based models, focusing on recurring revenue and loyalty, continued to grow
- Significant growth of direct-to-consumer brands leveraging online channels to bypass traditional retail and build direct relationships with customers
- Interactive and Experiential Marketing continued to grow, particularly:
- Gamification: Incorporating game-like elements into marketing campaigns to boost engagement and loyalty.
- Live Streaming: Popularity of live streaming for product launches, tutorials, and real-time customer engagement.
So, what can we learn from 30+ years of marketing?
Marketing has transformed dramatically over the past three decades, moving from traditional media - print, television, and radio through to the age of performance marketing, AI and automation.
But what lessons can we learn to improve our future marketing efforts? Perhaps the single most important lesson to be learned is that the core principles of effective marketing have remained consistent throughout.
The 5 enduring principles of successful marketing:
1. Keep customers at the centre of what you do
Successful marketing begins and ends with having a real understanding of customers' wants, needs and motivations.
From the first early CRM systems, through to modern day AI-driven personalisation, focusing on the customer (customer centricity), and having empathy for them as real human beings, remains the foundation for effective marketing.
Lesson for the future
Human understanding, empathy and insight is critical to effective marketing. In the AI era, and with significant advancements in marketing technology, brands must keep sight of this to be truly successful
2. Build emotional connections with your customers – the power of branding
With the advent of the digital age ‘performance marketing’ took centre stage and brand marketing lost some of its attraction and impetus. The tables have now turned. There’s growing recognition and realisation of the value of branding and building emotional connections with customers.
a) Brand storytelling
People connect with and remember brands that tell meaningful stories. The way those stories are brought to life may have changed over the decades – from TV to TikTok – but compelling, authentic narratives help brands stand out and drive loyalty.
Since the 1990s: Nike’s “Just Do It,” Apple’s “Think Different,” and later, Dove’s “Real Beauty” all built emotional narratives.
Authentic, cause-aligned branding (e.g. sustainability, inclusion) also works well in building emotional connections with customers. Think of The Body Shop and what it stands for. A pioneer of brand activism, decades before ‘purpose’ became a marketing trend.
b) Use distinctive brand assets consistently
Consistent brand memory cues, the visual, verbal, and sonic elements that help your brand stick in the minds of consumers, are critical to longer term marketing success.
Strong brand assets are proven to increase brand awareness and engagement. Integrated messaging across all channels reinforces branding (recognisable brand assets) and brand credibility. Customers also expect seamless brand experiences across all touchpoints.
Recent research identified that using consistent assets across platforms improves brand recognition by up to 80% and supports long-term recall in high-value purchases (The LinkedIn B2B Institute)
c) Build emotional connections
Beyond logical and practical persuasion (e.g. features, pricing), people remember how a brand made them feel.
Brand storytelling that taps into deeper human values like belonging, hope, nostalgia and empowerment, helps develop a lasting emotional connection with consumers.
Customers that are emotionally connected are more loyal, less price-sensitive, and more likely to recommend a brand to their family and friends. A report by Binet & Field found that emotional campaigns outperform rational ones, generating 2x more profit growth and 3x more market share growth.
Emotional resonance is a proven driver of brand loyalty, pricing power, and advocacy.
Lesson for the future
Invest in branding, not just performance marketing. Research suggest that the optimal budget split for maximum marketing effectiveness is approximately 60% brand building (long-term) : 40% sales activation (short-term)
3. Use data wisely and combine it with human insight
The digital age brought performance marketing. Data analytics started to revolutionise decision-making.
With such a focus on data, particularly last-click attribution, the numbers became everything and there was a tendency to forget what they represented – the actions of real-life customers.
The unprecedented access to data that marketers have today brings so many opportunities, but they come with responsibilities. Getting privacy right and using data ethically is critical. So is using human insight when carrying out data analysis.
Lesson for the future
Use data to shed light on human behaviour. Always remember that ‘the numbers’ relate to people, observe privacy regulations and use data ethically.
4. Be adaptable
From the dot-com boom through to the AI revolution the ability to learn, understand and adapt has been a key differentiator.
Markets, media and culture evolve. Businesses that predict and / or adapt to changes, whilst being true to their brand, will be rewarded. Think of the enduring brands of today, like Apple, Amazon, Nike and Microsoft, and how they’ve adapted to change staying relevant to customers and remaining dominant in their marketplaces.
Lesson for the future
Be flexible, test more and adapt to your environment so as to be as relevant as possible to your customers.
5. Be creative
The late, great advertising guru David Ogilvy’s belief that ‘What really decides consumers to buy or not to buy is the content of your advertising, not its form’ still holds true.
Creativity still wins attention and when rooted in the needs, wants and motivations of customers, is a real competitive advantage. In the AI era when businesses can create more content than ever before originality and emotional resonance still cut through the noise.
Lesson for the future
AI may accelerate content creation but creativity, human or hybrid, is still the ‘spark’ that drives impact.
Key learning from 30+ years of marketing
1. Be customer-centric
Keep customers at the centre of what you do. Understand, and respond to their wants, needs and motivations.
2. Invest in your brand
Emotional resonance is a proven driver of brand loyalty, pricing power, and advocacy. It should be reflected in how you allocate your marketing budget with approximately 60% going to brand building (long-term) and 40% going to sales activation (short-term).
3. Power data analytics with human insight
Use data to shed light on human behaviour and always remember that ‘the numbers’ relate to real-life people.
4. Adapt and thrive
Learn from, understand and adapt to changing circumstances. Be flexible, test more and adapt to your environment.
5. Use creativity as a competitive advantage
Originality and emotional resonance cut through the noise and help your brand stand out. Creativity, human or hybrid, is still the ‘spark’ that drives impact.
How have succesful, enduring brands applied these principles?
Brands that have thrived in the 21st century have adapted to change, maintained strong brand equity, and stayed relevant to consumers. Here are a few examples of the most enduring brands and why they have remained dominant:
Amazon
- Customer-centric: Fast delivery, easy returns, and convenience (Prime).
- Adapt and thrive: Diversification, from e-commerce to cloud computing (AWS), streaming (Prime Video), and AI (Alexa).
- Powering data analytics with human insight: Data-driven personalisation. AI-powered recommendations and seamless shopping experiences.
Apple
- Adapt and thrive: Innovation - constantly evolving products (iPod → iPhone → Apple Watch).
- Customer-centric: Great product ecosystem. Seamless integration across devices (hardware, software, services).
- Brand investment / emotional resonance: Cult-like following, premium design, and strong emotional connection.
- Creativity as a competitive advantage: Simplicity, aspirational messaging, and iconic advertising.
McDonald's
- Adapt and thrive: Constantly evolving menu (healthier options, international flavours).
- Emotional resonance / Creativity as a competitive advantage: Memorable marketing campaigns (“I’m Lovin’ It”) and partnerships (celeb collabs like Travis Scott Meal).
- Customer-centricity: Digital focus. Mobile ordering, loyalty rewards, and AI-driven fast food automation.
Nike
- Brand investment / emotional resonance: Emotional branding. “Just Do It” remains one of the most powerful slogans in history.
- Customer-centricity / emotional resonance: Athlete partnerships. Aligning with cultural icons like Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Powering data analytics with human insight: Innovation & personalisation. Tech-infused footwear, Nike+ apps, and DTC sales growth.